SHATTERED GLASS: Impressions
"Are you mad at me?" he kept saying, like a child. He seemed so young and unsure of himself that he invented his clever pieces, and they were clever, to get attention. This kid needed a good shrink since his family obviously did a number on him. That young woman had it right, "You're 24 years old! Just tell your parents you don't want to be a layer!" But I know the cultural and family bonds were strong and he just couldn't bust them.
I was confused when he was lecturing to empty chairs in a classroom--did he really end up talking in journalism schools to say "Don't do what I did" or was he once again imagining that he did? I mean to look up some of those pieces with clever titles, and in that way I will better understand why everyone tried to help him out and not throw the book at him.
The culture of the young writers, very tight, both genders, was impressive to me. They all had the fire and seemed very mature for their age (except for Glass). I like the explanation of how many editors and fact checkers go over a piece, and round in a circle again after its laid out. I always wanted to be a copy editor, and I bet those jobs are hard to find now, but I already get asked by friends who are writers and by my boss to do it.
KOS
A friend put me onto the Daily Kos but I dont' have the energy to read it daily. It's left of liberal and full of meaningful news that we don't get in mainstream media. I also get alternative news on Cambridge Cable Free Speech TV and Laura Flanders's show on that station, GritTV. I admire her and met her because she's the granddaughter of my best writing mentor, Hope Hale Davis, who published her novel (autobiographical, about being a commie in FDR's Agriculture Department) at age 96 and wrote right up to age 100.
A BRAVE MAN
The theme of the week seems to quality news vs. shareholders. These two entities seem to be opposing forces.
Locally, a reporter for a Rhode Island local news station named Jim Hummel quit because he didn't like the way the news biz was going (from hard news to sexy and cute "human interest" stories). This was echoed in the Frontline documentary we watched segments of in class.
When "60 Minutes" turned a profit, CBS took note. And it "begat" Dateline, Primetime, and other shows, but these shows now use more sexy and cute human interest stories instead of investigative reporting. Now with cable stations, on-demand news, and free internet news, local affiliates have had to cut back, please their sponsors, and turn a profit or die. I admire this guy. Problem is, he has to pay rent and eat (and or support a family). He shouldn't have to be a martyr to a cause. Will someone hire him? Will he end up on cable, keeping his ethics and taking a job as a grocery bagger? This is depressing, but it's real. Shareholders, not the public, are running the show. I'm beginning to think Karl Marx was right about capitalism bringing itself down. It's happening with gas and food, and culture as well.
JS Online: Reporter at Rhode Island TV station takes stand against ...
An investigative reporter for the ABC affiliate in Providence, R.I., took a stand this week against sensationalism. He quit. Jim Hummel, the reporter behind ...
http://www.jsonline.com/app/rssredir/?/columnists/timcuprisin.xml - 55k - Cached - Similar pages
INSIDE TV & RADIO Reporter at Rhode Island TV station takes stand ...
Aug 1, 2008 ... An investigative reporter for the ABC affiliate in Providence, R.I., took a stand this week against sensationalism. He quit. ...
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16952259.html - 36k - Cached - Similar pages
AND IN VERY LOCAL NEWS
About to move on to my final project and I interviewed Sumbul yesterday for two hours. A very amazing young woman, but it must be news worthy. I hope it's more "60 Minutes" than "Dateline."
MD
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